injuries
by MissingMommy
Summary: When people later ask Percy about it, he won't tell them how scared he was when Oliver took a Bludger to the head in second year.:: Percy&Oliver.


For QL season 2, round 2. Prompts are Oliver with "I prefer my eggs sunny side up", "You don't tell me to relax", and friction.

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By the time that Percy makes it to the Great Hall for breakfast, it dawns on him that it is the first Quidditch game of the season. He sees the Slytherin team dressed in their Quidditch robes as well as his own house in theirs. It makes it easy to locate his friend.

He takes a seat next to Oliver Wood, a sturdy brown haired boy in red and gold Quidditch robes with excitement in his eyes. "Nervous?" he asks as he starts piling food on his plate.

Oliver shakes his head. "Not at all," he replies. He reaches for more food, loading a spoonful of eggs on his plate.

Percy raises his eyebrow skeptically. "Is that why you're getting eggs?"

"What?" Oliver questions, confused.

Nodding towards the plate in Oliver's hand, Percy continues, "In the past year, I've never seen you eat eggs. But you're eating them now."

"That means nothing," Oliver retorts. "You don't eat eggs either."

"I prefer my eggs sunny side up," Percy replies, "which is why I don't eat them."

Oliver sighs and exchanges his plate of eggs for the empty plate beside him. "Nothing gets past you, does it?" he says.

Percy watches in silence as Oliver dishes himself food, this time with no eggs. And Percy believes that Oliver will lose his nerves once he gets on the field.

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It isn't Percy's first Quidditch game by any means. Even though he doesn't like it, he attends the games anyways, to support his house and his brother Charlie, and now, Oliver. Most of the time, he brings his schoolwork to the game so that he isn't wasting time.

He has his Defence book with him today to work on the assignment due next week. He finds himself a place high enough in the stands where his view isn't too obstructed, and pulls out his textbook and parchment.

He's almost done with his first paragraph by the time that Madam Hooch takes to the field. He glances up as the Slytherins fly out of their locker room. Several moments later, red and gold streaks are seen through the sky. Even at the distance he is, Percy can still make out his brother and Oliver easily. Oliver is doing laps around his goal posts, while his brother is flying gracefully around the stadium.

Percy's eyes returns to his work as the teams warm up. A few minutes later, the crowd roars excitedly and Percy can tell that the game has started. He doesn't bother to glance up from his work.

He's in the middle of writing a sentence when he hears the crowd gasp and the announcer's voice echo, "Oliver Wood has taken a nasty hit!" He glances up in time to see Oliver falling from his broom.

Percy stands, disregarding his textbook, and watches in horror as Oliver hits the ground. Shaking his head to gather himself, Percy collects his items and heads down from the stands. By the time he makes it to the bottom, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall are already walking beside the unconscious Oliver.

Wordlessly, Percy follows them, uninterested in the rest of the game.

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Percy sits beside Oliver's bedside, glancing up from his textbook every few minutes in hopes that Oliver will wake up. It's been days since Oliver was hit in the head with a Bludger, and Percy is getting increasingly more worried that Oliver might not wake up. Oliver is Percy's first and only friend. They may be polar opposites, which adds friction to their friendship, but they get along fairly well most of the time.

The doors to the Hospital Wing swing open, causing Percy to look back at them. "You're still in here." His brother, Charlie, walks through the door and stands at the end of Oliver's bed. "I thought you would be doing homework in the library."

"I can do homework in here just as easily," Percy retorts, motioning towards his textbook.

Charlie looks at Oliver. "Still hasn't woken up?" he questions.

Percy shakes his head. His eyes fixate on Oliver. His chest is rising and falling, rhythmically; the only sign that he is still alive.

Charlie comes to stand behind Percy. He ruffles his hair affectionally. "Don't worry. He'll wake up soon," he assures his little brother.

Glaring, Percy moves from under Charlie's hand. He's always hated when someone ruffles his hair. He finds it condescending. "What if he doesn't?" Percy demands angrily. "The chances of someone waking up from a head injury like that is –"

"You've been reading too many books," Charlie says, cutting Percy off. "Just relax. He'll be fine!"

"You don't tell me to relax!" Percy snaps.

Before Percy can continue, Charlie speaks again. "I assure you, Oliver will be just fine."

Percy shakes his head. "You can't know that."

Charlie shrugs. "Maybe not," he agrees. "But you have to believe that he will be. Come on, I'm sure you haven't had dinner yet." When Percy looks like he's about to protest, Charlie cuts him off again. "Oliver will be right here when you get back."

Glancing back at Oliver, Percy sighs. He packs his bag and leaves it at the end of Oliver's bed before leaving with his brother.

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After Charms, Percy heads towards the Hospital Wing for his free period. When he walks in the door, he sees Oliver sitting up. "Percy!" he exclaims happily.

Percy finds himself grinning back at Oliver. "You're awake."

Oliver nods before grimacing at the movement. "Yeah, Madam Pomfrey says I was out for a week," he replies.

"Don't worry. I have a copy of all the notes," Percy says.

If it was anyone else, they would've teased him for assuring Oliver that. But Oliver is not other people, and he just grins at Percy. "You are the greatest." And then Oliver raises his eyebrow. "Who won the game?"

Percy becomes serious. "Slytherin," he answers.

Oliver's faces drops. "I should've seen the Bludger."

"No one blames you, Oliver. The team was furious with the Slytherin Beaters for the hit. It should've been illegal."

Shaking his head, Oliver grimaces again. "It was legal," he responds. "I'll do better next game."

Percy frowns. If next game is anything like the first game, Percy would rather Oliver not play. But he knows his friend too well to think that Oliver will give up Quidditch; he would die first. "You need rest."

Oliver raises his eyebrow. "You're not going to make me do homework?" he asks, a joking tone in his voice.

And despite himself, Percy smiles.

**A/n – so many thanks to Paula for betaing this for me. **


End file.
